Disk-harrow gang-equalizer.



L. BfWYGANT. DISK HARROW GANG-EQUALIZER. APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1911.

vlamented Apr.9, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'WIT/@$555.5

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ATTORNEY f di. i@ M XM L.

" COLUMNA YIANOGRAFH C0.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS B. WYG-ANT, OF VINCENNES, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 I-IARTIVIAN MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF VINCENNES, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

DISK-i-HARROW GANG-EQUALIZER.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwrs B. WYGANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vincennes, in the county of Knox and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Disk-Harrow Gang-Equalizer, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to the type of diskharrow that comprises two gangs of disks and a frame carried partially by the disks for drawing the disks over the ground, the invention having reference particularly to an improvement in the frame whereby to equalize the weight or pressure of the frame on the two gangs of disks.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved disk-harrow of the above men tioned character that shall be so constructed that when any of the disks roll over hard clods or stones so as to raise one gang of disks the other one shall be permitted to normally operate; a further object of the 1nvention being to provide equalizers betweenthe frame and the disk gangs that will per? mit a disk to roll over a stone and raise they gang, without being compelled to also carry an undue proportion of the weight of the frame which heretofore has resulted in the bending or breaking of the ldisk in contact with the stone or other obstruction.

A still further object is to provide a harrow frame of the above mentioned character that shall have its weight distributed substantially equally on the diii'erent portions of the disk gangs so that the work of the disks in operation shall be substantially uniform, the aim of the invention having in view relatively simple, eiicient and durable construction for the above mentioned purposes. Y,

The invention consists in an improved disk-harrow frame provided with weight equalizers of novel construction adapted to yieldingly hold down the adjacent end portions of the disk gangs independently and permit the inner end portion of either gang to rise without lifting or Ytilting the adjacent gang; and the invention consists further in the novel parts, and in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts, as y hereinafter Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led September 27, 1911.

Patented Apr. 9, 1912. A Serial No. 651,548.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a disk harrow constructed substantially in accordance with the invention, obvious portions of the structure being shown in broken lines; Fig. 2, a fragmentary perspective of the machine on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3, a fragmentary top plan of the improved harrow; Fig. 4, a rear perspective illustrating one of the gangs of disks as when raised in passing over an obstruction; Fig. 5, a fragmentary sectional elevation on the plane of the line A A in Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a longitudinal section approximately on the plane of the line B B in Fig. 4; Fig. 7, an elevation of one of the 4a perspective view of a companion one lof the equalizing members.

Similar reference characters throughout the different figures of the drawings indicate corresponding elements or features of construction herein referred to.

A practical embodiment ofthe improved harrow comprises an arch 1 to the middley portion of which two longitudinal beams 2 and 3 are secured and extend forwardly, two braces 4 and 5, preferably formed inte? grally, being secured tothe beams at a suit'- able distance from the arch and extend divergently therefrom to the end portions of the archto which they are secured, to const-i tute the main portion of the harrow frame. The brace bars 4 and 5 extend rearwardly beyond the arch Ato form arms 6 and 7 whereby to connect the frame to the disk gangs. Two axles 8 and 9 are employed which are provided respectively with disks 10 and 11. The axles are arranged behindy the arch 1 and normally approximately in alinement, with the inner ends of the shafts arranged adj acently each to the other. The` outer end portions of the axles are provided with journal boxes 12 and 13 respectively which, however, are arranged on the` axles at a little distance from the outer ends and the boxes are provided respectively with oblong eyes 14 and 15 which are connected resnectively to the arms 6 and 7 and support journal boxes 16 and 17 which also have oblong eyes 18 and 19 thereon respectively whereby to pull and control the inner end portions of the axles.V Two brackets 20 and 21 are secured to the beams 2 and 3 respectively and support a pivot rod 22, two notched quadrants 23 and 24 being mounted also on the beams, and two controlling levers 25 and 26 are mounted between their ends on the pivot rod 22 and adapted to be latched to the quadrants. Two draft bars 27 and 28 are connected to the eyes 18 and 19 respectively, preferably by means of turned over hooks 29 and 29 formed on the ends of the draft bars, the draft bars being connected also to the levers by means of pivot bolts 30 and 30.

The two beams 2 and 3 serve the purpose of a single center beam, the forward portion of which may be carried either by wheels or a tongue hitched to the draft animals, as will be understood, and the controlling levers 25 and 26 may be moved so as to change the relative positions of the axles, the inner end of the axles being moved forward or backward relative to thel frame, to adjust the angles of the disks as may be desired.

The equalizing apparatus comprises a disk-like boss 31 which has an integrally formed base 32 on its periphery, and the base is suitably secured to the under side of the beams 2 and 3, the boss having a central bore 33 to receive an axle. One side of the boss has a suitable number of cams 34 thereon and the opposite side has a like number of cams 35 thereon which extend outwardly from the sides of the boss adjacent its periphery, the faces of the cams being inclined to the side faces of the boss` Two companion equalizing members 36 and 37 are provided, one member having an axial hole 38 and t-he other one having a similar hole 39 therein to receive the axle 40 which is arranged movably in and extends through the bore 33, the end portions of the axle being screw-threaded and provided with adjusting nuts 41 and 42 respectively. The member 36 has a suitable number of cams 43 on one side thereof inclined so as to fit against the cams 34, the member 37 having a suitable number of cams 44 on one side thereof adapted to lit against the cams 35. The members 36 and 37 are substantially disk shaped and are provided with arms 45 and 46 respectively, that extend rearwardly toward the axles and have ribs 47 and 47 on the inner sides thereof that are arranged radially to the-axis of rotation of the members, the arms having curved slots 48 and 48 therein that are concentric to the axis Two clutch plates 49 and 49 suitably ribbed are placed in con tact with the ribs of the two arms respectively and are provided with clamping bolts 50 and 50 respectively. The direction of inclination of the cam faces is such that when either movable member arm is moved upwardly the member 36 or 37 is forced away from the boss 31 by the co-acting cams. Two pressure bars 51 and 52 are placed against the outer sides of the two members 36 and 37 respectively and have holes 53 and 53 therein respectively that 4receive the axle 40, the bars being secured adjustably to the arms 45 and 46 by means of the bolts 50 and 50 and nuts 54 and 54 screwed onto the bolts. The bars extend rearwardly toward the disk axles in a plane above the draft bars 27 and 28 and have lateral projections 55 and 56 thereon respectively that are adapted to extend over the draft bars slightly above them so that the draft bars may rise slightly in operation without coming in contact with the projections, but the draft bars are moved into contact with the projections and force the pressure bars upward when the disks are forced upward to an unusual extent. Two coil springs 57 and 58 are placed on the opposite end portions of the axle 40 in contact with the pressure bars 51 and 52 respectively, the outer ends of the springs being seated againstwashers 59 and 59 which are placed on the axle against the inner sides of the nuts 41 and 42 respectively so that the tension of the springs may be adjusted. The axle 40 as will be seen may move longitudinally, so that when either member 36 or 37 is operated and compresses its pressure spring, the pressure spring of the other one of the members also is compressed to increase the resistance to movement of the member not moved.

In practical use, the arms 6 and 7 may move slightly sidewise in the eyes 14 and 15, and also the eyes 29 and 29 on the draft bars may move slightly in the eyes 18 and 19 without binding during the various positions assumed by the axles of the disks. When the inner end of one of the axles, for instance the axle 9, is raised abnormally, as by a stone 60, the draft bar 28 is moved up against the lateral projection 56 so as to force the pressure bar 52 upward and slightly rotate the equalizing member 37, the movement of which is resisted by the pressure of the spring 58 and the frictional resistance of the contact faces of the cams 35 and 44, and the greater the movement the invention,

panion members connected with the axle rod at oppo-site sides of thefboss and having each an arm thereon, the members having each a cam thereon engaging the cam on the adjacent side of the bo-ss, and two springs on the axle rod coperating therewith to hold the cams of the members in contact with the cams on the boss.

2. A disk-harrow gang-equalizer including a boss provided with a supporting base having bolt holes therein, the boss being provided also with an axle rod and having laterally projecting cams on opposite sides thereof, two companion members connected with the axle rod at opposite sides of the boss and having cams thereon to cooperate with the cams on the adjacent sides of the boss, the members having each an arm thereon, two springs on the axle rod coperating therewith to hold the cams of the members in contact with the cams on the boss, and two pressure bars secured to the two arms respectively.

3. A disk-harrow gang-equalizer including a boss having a supporting base thereon,

two companion members having each an arm thereon, each arm having a slot therein, an axle rod extending through the boss and the companion members, two pressure bars having each a hole therein receiving the axle rod, thebars extending against the arms and having lateral projections thereon, bolts in the slots adjustably securing the bars to the arms, and means for frictionally holding the companion members to the boss.

4. A harrow including two axles, disks mounted on the axles, a frame, a boss secured iixedly to the frame yand provided with an axle rod, two draft bars operatively connected to the frame and connected also to the two axles respectively, twoequalizing members rotatably mounted ron the axle rod at opposite sides of the boss to coperate with the boss and having pressure bars connected thereto that extend over the two draft bars respectively in proximity thereto, and two springs on the axle rod cooperating therewith to frictionally hold the equalizing membersto the boss for retarding upward movement of the pressure bars.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

5. In a disk-barrow, the combination with two axles, disks mounted on the axles, a frame having two arms connected with the two axles respectively, two levers pivotally mounted on the frame, and two draft bars pivoted to the two levers and connected with the two axles respectively, of a boss rigidly secured to the frame and having cams on opposite sides thereof, an axle rod extending movably through the boss, two equalizing members journaled on the axle rod and having cams thereon coperating with the cams of the boss, each member' having an arm thereon, two pressure bars pivoted on the axle rod adjacent said members and secured to the arms of the members respectively, the bars having lateral projections thereon extending over t-he draft bars in proximity thereto, nuts on the end portions of the axle rod, and springs on the axle rod between the equalizing members and the nuts.

6. In a disk-harrow, the combination with two axles, disks mounted on the axles, a frame having two armsconnected with the two axles respectively, two levers pivotally mounted on the frame, and two draft bars pivoted to the two levers and connected with the two axles respectively, of a boss rigidly secured to the frame and having cams on opposite sides thereof, an axle rod extending movably through the boss and having spring-seats on opposite ends thereof, two

equalizing members mounted on the axle rod at opposite sides o-f the boss and having cams thereon cooperating withthe cams of the boss, each member being provided with an arm having a slot therein extending concentrically to the axle rod, each arm having also ribs on the inner side thereof that extend radially with respect to the axle rod, two pressure bars mounted on the axle rod at t-he outer sides of said members respectively and extending in contact with the outer sides of the arms thereof, the bars extending also over the draft bars in proximity thereto,`two ribbed clutch plates in adj ustable engagement with the ribs of the two arms respectively, bolts in the slots securing the pressure bars to the plates, and two springs on the axle rod in contact with the two companion members and also with the two spring-seats respectively.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS B. VVYGANT.

Witnesses:

A. M. WrLLoUGnJsY, W. M. WILLMORE.

Washington, D. C. 

